INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE: Applicant(s) hereby incorporate herein by reference, any and all U.S. patents, U.S. patent applications, and other documents and printed matter cited or referred to in this application.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to tools for smoothing and leveling poured concrete slabs and surfaces, and more particularly to a power float machine, remotely controlled, driven and steered by a fan and capable of tiling forward and aft floats upon which the machine is supported.
2. Description of Related Art
The following art defines the present state of this field:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,371,287xe2x80x94discloses and illustrates a surface laser controlled trowelling device. Refer to the Abstract; FIG. 1 and column 2, line 31 et seq. U.S. Pat. No. 4,132,492xe2x80x94discloses and illustrates a self-propelled concrete screed machine in which the prime mover is remotely operated. Refer to FIG. 2 (elements 12 and 162); column 2, line 13 et seq.; and claim 8. U.S. Pat. No. 5,288,166xe2x80x94discloses and illustrates a laser operated concrete finishing tool. Refer to the Abstract; FIGS. 1 and 2; and column 4, lines 48-52. U.S. Pat. No. 6,106,193xe2x80x94discloses and illustrates a concrete finishing device having a seated operator control station. Refer to the Abstract; FIG. 1 and column 6, line 26. U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,633xe2x80x94discloses and illustrates a screeding apparatus having a seated operating station. Refer to the Abstract; FIG. 2; and column 9, line 12 et seq. U.S. Pat. No. 5,039,249xe2x80x94discloses and illustrates a manually operated screeding device for concrete and the like. Refer to the Abstract and FIG. 1.
The prior art teaches troweling and screeding devices and machines including those controlled by a laser line and other relatively new technical methods, but does not teach a remotely operated and controlled concrete leveling and smoothing machine with fan drive and variable weight control. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.
The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below.
A power float apparatus comprises a horizontally oriented platform supported on a pair of spaced apart, rotationally mounted, floats. The floats each provide a downwardly directed flat surface for moving in contact with, and thereby smoothing, a non-hardened concrete surface. Mounted on the platform is a fan, rotationally adapted for directing a horizontal thrust vector in a variably selectable direction for moving and steering the apparatus over the concrete surface. The floats are adapted for being tilted thereby enabling a variable contact area between the floats and the concrete surface. The primary use of this invention is to level and vibrate a concrete surface after the screeding phase and before the surface is finished or polished. The invention replaces the well known hand operations using a bull float and the Fresno process. The invention is placed on the surface to be leveled by a hoist and operated, preferably by a hand-held remote control unit manipulated by a workman standing to one side of the surface being worked on.
A primary objective of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method of use of such apparatus that provides advantages not taught by the prior art.
Another objective is to provide such an invention capable of smoothing freshly poured concrete.
A further objective is to provide such an invention capable of being controlled by a remotely located operator.
A still further objective is to provide such an invention capable of adjusting smoothing forces delivered to the concrete surface.
A yet further objective is to provide such an invention driven and steered by a angularly directable fan.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.